Vulnerable
by Jesskuh
Summary: "The truth was, as much as I would hate to admit it, Link was stronger than myself. In more ways than one." Link/Sheik. OOT.


"Sheik..."

Those piercing blue eyes struck me, meeting with my own red ones, but I quickly turned my head away. Absently, I drew a hand up to the cowl that constantly kept my emotions hidden, pulling it up further onto my face.

"You don't have to be so nervous."

He didn't need to see my face to know exactly what was going on in my head. My little habits were read quite clearly and in a way it enraged me to know that I was so vulnerable. To such a boy, at that. Although the hero of time, in my mind, he might as well still be that little boy from seven years ago.

"I have nothing to be nervous about, Hero."

My voice was void of emotions I stood up from our little spot on the ground, full intentions of leaving the green-clad Hylian just to have some inner peace. My plans were cut short, however, as I turned my head to look down at a gloved hand grasping at the fabric on my heel. "Please don't go." The voice was pleading and tugged at my chest for a moment and I sighed in defeat, plopping myself down right next to him again. "What is it, Hero?"

Glancing over when there was silence, I saw his gaze casted low at the grass, one hand picking at one of the blades. "I was just wondering..." I blinked when he paused and those stunning eyes were on me once again, though not for long. "How do you feel about me?"

The question was unexpected, and something I found myself immediately fumbling around with my words in my head, not knowing what in the world he could mean by such a thing. I parted my lips to speak. "...I feel that you're a very important person. You are the hero of time. You bring life to the land of Hyrule and-"

He stopped me suddenly, cutting me off. "Is that really all? Am I only important because of my dutiful role in society that I had no choice in taking?"

I gulped down some saliva, not being the best at such heartfelt moments...or creating them, for that matter. "No, Hero..." I didn't get to finish speaking once again as his face tensed up and he looked at my accusingly. "Why do you refuse to call me by my name, Sheik?" I couldn't tell if he was angry or hurt, and took my time to avert my gaze for a moment. "It's my job." I tried to explain, not seeing what was coming next.

I was surprised he hadn't started to laugh at the shocked expression on my face as he pinned me down to the ground, feeling the cowl over my face begin to slip down slowly and unable to move or fix it.

"All I want is for you to show me something more than dull emotions." Blonde hair shielded my eyes from his own prying ones, trying desperately to get some control over the situation physically. The truth was, as much as I would hate to admit it, Link was stronger than myself. In more ways than one. "I can't, don't you understand?" I spat suddenly, catching the hero off guard though his grip only loosened slightly.

This was one of those times I wished more than anything I had my mask up. I wanted to hide; it's what I'm best at and always will be best at. Yet here was this boy, so easily forcing such strong feelings out of me as I struggled against his grip, aggravation evident to anyone who could see. I hated every second of it.

"Just let me go, Hero!" I said, beginning to raise my voice as anger seeped through my veins. Whether I was truly angry or covering up something far deeper, not even myself would ever understand, beginning to kick my legs from beneath him.

That's when everything broke down. Stronger arms than my own wrapped around my body, secure but unforcing. I could smell him, he was so close, his head resting between my neck and shoulder. My body tensed at first. I wanted to pummel him for doing all of this to me. My arms wrapped around him in return, clenched fists pressing into the muscle of his back. I held on for dear life, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes.

It was the first time in my life that I had been vulnerable with my true emotions. He let me cry silently into his neck; I felt him kiss my own comfortingly. His breath was against my ear, and he whispered to me, "You aren't as strong as you think you are." I've never heard truer words from a beings mouth. Arms loosened from around my body, and I found him staring down at me with a small smile.

"You're pretty without that stupid thing over your face."

Heat rose to my cheeks immediately, and I pressed a hand to his chest, trying to push him away from me. "Shut up! Get off of me, Link!" The name slipped through my lips before I even had a chance to catch it, and I felt a stir in the pit of my stomach when his smile widened into a full-blown grin. "...You said it!" He called cheerfully, pulling me into a gut-wrenching embrace this time, and I felt as if the life was being sucked right out of me.

"Let...go...!" I gasped in his hold, trying to wriggle my way out to no avail until he loosened his grip on me once again, myself trying hard to catch my breath.

The mood changed suddenly again, fingertips brushing against my uncovered lips, eyes widening in reaction to the gesture. The hero simply smiled back at me, that soft look coming back as he stared down at me, and I started to feel completely naked in before him. His hand moved from my lips to cup my cheek, the warmth of his body coming closer making my heart pound against my chest.

His touch was as soft as his gaze, our noses brushing past one another, the feeling of his lips barely grazing my own. The musky scent was making me dizzy, his lips pressing more firmly against my own, and I naturally pressed back with a small gasp. The parting of my lips allowed the hero to sneak his tongue past them in one fluid motion, shyly exploring the cavern of my mouth.

The adrenaline was slowly building up between us, my own tongue beginning to battle the other, my arms around his neck so that he couldn't sneak away. There was a gentle nibble at my lower lip, and I let out a small moan, not knowing where my sensibility had gone to at this point. His body pressed into mine and I arched my back right into the movement, our hips flush against one another perfectly, a louder moan released between the kiss we were still sharing.

Those hands moved down on my body, feeling everything through the tightness of my clothing, and I bit my lip in an attempt to not embarrass myself even further with the noises I would be making otherwise.

The fire we had built together earlier was crackling in the background, emitting a glow onto the both of us, and he bit into my neck savagely. I was grasping at his shirt tightly, going mildly insane at every new touch, shivers running through my body. It was all sensitive, untouched territory, and I realized that the ways I had been taught and upholding were slowly slipping away from me, and I didn't mind at all.

Skin was against skin in no time, the press of our hips becoming more needy, my hands clawing at the ground below us furiously. I couldn't imagine this being anyone else with me. I couldn't imagine it any other way, my tightness clamping around him in the heat of the moment with tears pricking at my eyes for the second time that night. The pain was washed away, my body riding it out and I had never moaned so loudly in my life.

Our bodies were sticky against one another, sweat building up on his forehead, my lithe fingers digging into the skin of his back in the pit of passion we had created. One move sent me over the edge, screaming out as it all ended, the hero's own coming right after like music to my ears.

Laying there was the first time I felt a fluttering feeling in my chest, extending down to my middle and flourishing there. To feel his fingers slide past my own and soft lips to my cheek, I couldn't help but break out in a genuine smile. Brushing his cheek past my own, I felt that breath next to my ear again, along with a whisper.

"I love you too."


End file.
